Born and raised in Chicago, Houston Thomas trained at the Joffrey Ballet Academy and the Chicago High School for the Arts before attending the School of American Ballet. After graduating in 2013, he danced for a decade with Dresden Semperoper Ballett, rising to second soloist by 2018. His repertoire included works by Balanchine, Forsythe, and Dawson. His performance in Justin Peck’s Heatscape earned a “Best Male Performance” nomination from Dance Europe.

Houston began his choreographic journey with his first work, Moonlit Variants, in 2018 at the Semperoper Young Choreographers Showcase. In 2022, he participated in the Young Emergent Choreographers Contest, winning a commission with the Opéra National de Bordeaux. Houston has since then created works for The Washington Ballet, ABT Studio Company, Ailey II, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, New York Choreographic Institute, Cincinnati Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Studio Company, The Juilliard School, and Point Park University, among others. In addition to his creative work, Houston has taught at Steps on Broadway, The Juilliard School, Ailey 2, and the International City School of Ballet.

In recognition of his artistic achievements and emerging choreographic impact, Houston was named the recipient of the 2025 Princess Grace Award.